Deauville winter meeting starts today

The Deauville winter meeting starts today and certainly the standard of French racing on the all-weather is far higher than it is in the U.K. There are big fields for all of today´s 9 races, including 16 in the main event, a listed race for fillies and mares over 2400 metres at 14.40 CET. Two German fillies line up here, La Poesie (Werner Baltromei/ Dominique Boeuf) and Salontänzerin (Waldemar Hickst/ Mikael Barzalona), but both face a very tough task. The two top-weights German-bred La Boum and Fleur Enchantee both boast good form in group races and one of them will probably win. A more likely German winner is Esprit des Jours (Baltromei/ Boeuf) in the 1900 metres handicap at 15.10.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: La Pernelle - Cartaya - Amelia`s Field
2. Race: Uldiko - Rudyard - Lachlan Bridge
3. Race: Voxna - Mockingbird - Ball Prince
4. Race: Forever Mine - Gavriel - Trebetherick
5. Race: Fleur Enchantee - La Boum - Skia
6. Race: Sargasses - Witty - Lady Hartwood
7. Race: Aden Gulf - Social Butterfly - Sina
8. Race: Style de Lois - Solaria - Pivoina
9. Race: Indran - Sir Dolois - Berenice Pancrisia

All-weather racing today

Poor racing is better than no racing at all, and that is the situation today (and probably for the rest of the week). No race at today´s two all-weather meetings at Southwell or Lingfield is likely to make the heart beat faster, but evry race is a new betting opportunity. At Lingfield, the best event is the mile handicap at 15.15 CET. John Best holds a strong hand with two runners, Halsion Chancer (Kieren Fox) and Elspeth´s Boy (Luke Morris); we prefer the latter, who was runner-up here last time over 7 furlongs after not getting a clear run. Final Verse (John Ryan/ Kirsty Milczarek), who is going for a CD hat-trick, is the obvious danger, but moving up in class. Ther are only 5 runnrs in th 10 furlongs handovp for 3yo´s at 15.40. Dark Promise (Michael Jarvis/ Philip Robinson) is the favourite here, but we just prefer Flag of Glory (Chris Wall/ George Baker). The two German-breds in the opening amateur riders handicap over 2 miles at 13.45 - Olivino (Bernard Llewellyn ( Isabe l Tompsett) and Defence of Realm (George Baker/ Simon Walker) could both be involved in the finish; both the trainer Baker and his namesake the jockey are currently in good form.

Grim outlook for N.H. racing

With no improvement in the weather expected before the end of the week, the outlook for N.H. racing in Britain and Ireland looks grim. Today´s fixtures at Hereford and Southwell have been called off - although Southwell has quickly organised an all-weather meeting in place of its jumps fixture. Tomorrow, Ayr, Catterick and Navan (Ireland) have already been abandoned, while Plumpton looks very doubtful.

There are inspections for all 3 Thursday meetings in the U.K., at Leicester, Market Rasen and Wincanton, while the big meeting at Fairyhouse must be doubtful.There are serious worries about the big weekend meeting at Sandown, and indeed, unless there is a rapid and unexpected improvement in the weather, it seems likely that there will be no racing on turf at all this week.